Solar cell assembly

Abstract

A solar cell assembly includes a number of film solar cells which are arranged in a row, in which row the front edge of a preceding solar cell overlaps the back edge of an adjacent subsequent solar cell and the overlapping corners of said overlapping edges are connected to each other. Each overlapping corner of a solar cell has at least one aperture, each aperture of a solar cell being in register with an aperture of the adjacent solar cell and said registered apertures each accommodating a connection element.

1 .- 31 . (canceled)  
     
     
         32 . A solar cell assembly comprising a plurality of film solar cells which are arranged in a row, in which row the front edge of a preceding solar cell overlaps the back edge of an adjacent subsequent solar cell and the overlapping corners of said overlapping edges are connected to each other, wherein at least one electrically isolating connection element is provided which protrudes through two overlapping corners.  
     
     
         33 . The assembly of  claim 32 , wherein each overlapping corner of a solar cell has at least one aperture, each aperture of a solar cell being in register with an aperture of the adjacent solar cell and said registered apertures each accommodating a connection element.  
     
     
         34 . The assembly of  claim 33 , wherein each solar cell comprises a laminate of a conductive foil, a solar cell layer, a transparent conductive coating and a conductive grid, each aperture extending through a part of the conductive foil and a part of the solar cell layer, which parts protrude with respect to the transparent conductive coating and the conductive grid.  
     
     
         35 . The assembly of  claim 34 , wherein the transparent conductive coating and the conductive grid are recessed with respect to the part of the conducting foil and the part of the conductive grid which are apertured.  
     
     
         36 . The assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the connection elements each comprise at least one pin which protrudes through a pair of registered apertures, said pin having at one end a head, as well as a closure fitted on the pin, between which head and closure the corners of the solar cells are enclosed.  
     
     
         37 . The assembly of  claim 36 , wherein the connection elements each comprise two pins which have a common head.  
     
     
         38 . The assembly of  claim 36 , wherein the pins are connected to the closure through a snap fit.  
     
     
         39 . The assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the head has a cable fixation means for holding a transfer wire.  
     
     
         40 . The assembly of  claim 36 , wherein the closure has a resilient character, e.g. a wave form, for providing a compressive preload in the direction perpendicular with respect to the facing sides of the overlapping edges.  
     
     
         41 . The assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the overlapping edges of adjacent solar cells comprise facing electrically conduction layers which are electrically connected.  
     
     
         42 . The assembly of  claim 41 , wherein an electrically conducting strip is accommodated between each pair of overlapping edges.  
     
     
         43 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein at least one of the connecting elements protrudes through the electrically conducting strip.  
     
     
         44 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein the electrically conducting strip provides resiliency in the direction perpendicular with respect to the facing sides of the overlapping edges.  
     
     
         45 . The assembly of  claim 44 , wherein the electrically conducting strip has a wave form.  
     
     
         46 . The assembly of  claim 44 , wherein the electrically conducting strip at its opposite ends has end parts which are folded back, the connection elements protruding through both the electrically conducting strip and the folded back end parts.  
     
     
         47 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein the conducting strip comprises a laminate with an electrically isolating layer and an electrically conducting layer, at least one lip being provided at the opposite ends of the strip, said lips being bent over so as to overlap the remainder of the conducting strip in such a way that the electrically conducting layer of the lip and of the remainder of the conducting strip face away from each other, the lip being in contact with an electrically conducting surface of one of the overlapping edges and the remainder of the conducting strip being in contact with the other of the overlapping edges.  
     
     
         48 . The assembly of  claim 47 , wherein the lip is at a longitudinal edge of the remainder of the strip.  
     
     
         49 . The assembly of  claim 47 , wherein the lip is next to the apertures.  
     
     
         50 . A solar cell blanket comprising a plurality of solar cell assemblies, each of which comprises a plurality of film solar cells which are arranged in a row, in which row the front edge of a preceding solar cell overlaps the back edge of an adjacent subsequent solar cell and the overlapping corners of said overlapping edges are connected to each other, the rows of solar cells of said assemblies being positioned next to each other in such a way that the longitudinal sides of two neighboring rows face each other, wherein a connection element at a corner of a cell in one of the rows is connected to a neighboring connection element at a corner of a cell in a neighboring row.  
     
     
         51 . The blanket of  claim 50 , wherein the neighboring connection elements are interconnected through an electrically isolating connection strip.  
     
     
         52 . The blanket of  claim 51 , wherein a connection strip at the back end and/or the front end of the rows has a protrusion for suspending to a frame.  
     
     
         53 . The blanket of  claim 50 , wherein at least one electrically conducting strip is provided which extends over at least two rows.  
     
     
         54 . The blanket of  claim 53 , wherein the electrically conducting strip which extends over at least two rows provides a parallel connection between said rows.  
     
     
         55 . The blanket of  claim 53 , wherein the electrically conducting strip which extends over at least two rows provides a series connection between said rows.  
     
     
         56 . An assembly comprising at least two blankets, each of which comprises a plurality of film solar cells which are arranged in a row, in which row the front edge of a preceding solar cell overlaps the back edge of an adjacent subsequent solar cell and the overlapping corners of said overlapping edges are connected to each other, the rows of solar cells of said assemblies being positioned next to each other in such a way that the longitudinal sides of two neighboring rows face each other, wherein a connection element at a corner of a cell in one of the rows is connected to a neighboring connection element at a corner of a cell in a neighboring row and a connection strip of one blanket is connected to a connection strip of another blanket.  
     
     
         57 . The assembly of  claim 56 , wherein the connection is a pin connection.  
     
     
         58 . The assembly of  claim 56 , wherein the connection is a hinge connection.  
     
     
         59 . The assembly of  claim 58 , wherein in one blanket a connection strip which is positioned between four neighboring corners has a cushion element for abutting against a correspondingly positioned cushion element of the other blanket when said blankets are folded over onto each other.  
     
     
         60 . The assembly of  claim 59 , wherein the cushion element of one of the blankets has serrations which engage similar serrations on the cushion element of the other blanket when said blankets are folded over onto each other, for preventing relative motions of said blankets parallel to each other.  
     
     
         61 . The assembly of  claim 59 , wherein the connection strip has two opposite cushion elements which face away from each other.  
     
     
         62 . The assembly of  claim 60 , wherein the serrations extend in the lengthwise direction of the rows and/or in the breadthwise direction of the rows.